Flood damage in North Georgia town to leave residents with little water for weeks, officials say

“If you must use water, it must be boiled before use,” Earley said in a social media post. “Please continue to conserve water whenever possible, as reducing water usage is critical to helping our system recover.”

Drainage issues stemming from a Georgia Department of Transportation road widening project may have contributed to the floodwaters streaming into small businesses and storefronts downtown, officials said in social media posts.

“Our downtown area has experienced significant flooding, not from the river, but due to major drainage issues associated with the ongoing State Highway 5 road construction,” Earley posted to Facebook Saturday night.

The Georgia Department of Transportation said Monday that seven inches of rain in eight hours overwhelmed their drainage systems, and crews reopened State Route 5 after 20 hours of repair work and cleanup.

“It’s the type of storm that has less than a 1% chance of impacting this area on any given year,” the department spokesperson said in a statement. “No project or drainage system is built to handle a storm cell of this magnitude or the resulting flash flooding that occurred. The storm overwhelmed drainage systems throughout the county.”

McCaysville Mayor Terry Arp said in a post that the city was working closely with state leaders to resolve the emergency.

The city and the surrounding area were under a flash flood warning from the National Weather Service late Saturday night until 5:30 a.m. Sunday. Fannin County firefighters urged residents to “use the 911 system sparingly” because the damage to roads made getting around the city difficult.

“Many roads in and around the area are not passable,” the fire department posted on Facebook. “Our crews have been out all night with our mutual aid partners rescuing people that became trapped in their homes.”

The flooding also caused the power to go out at the city’s water treatment plant, and damage to the plant led to “major leaks” of treated water, prompting a conservation notice for the area’s water customers to stop using water, Earley said in a post in the early hours Sunday morning.

“Until power is fully restored and the system is stabilized, it is critical that everyone conserve water,” the post says.

McCaysville sits along the Tennessee border, near the North Carolina border, and has a population of just over 1,000 people. The Toccoa River flows through the downtown and connects the city with its “sister city” across the border — Copperhill, Tennessee.

Copperhill limited water use, had several roads closed and was dealing with flood damage of its own, the city posted online.

Arp assured residents Sunday that the city was working closely with neighboring jurisdictions to address the situation.

“To our merchants and residents, please know that we have been in constant contact with GDOT and other state and local government officials, making our concerns and frustrations with this situation very clear,” Arp said in the Facebook post. “This is unacceptable, and we will continue pressing for answers and action until this issue is resolved.”

Local businesses, including in Copperhill, rallied together to take part in the cleanup efforts and support their neighbors. Copperhill Brewery gathered donated food from other businesses in their parking lot to work crews and anyone else displaced by the damage, the business posted to social media.